Atlas' Punishment
by Lostopium
Summary: Atlas has to team up with Nezha but he has his pride. He wants to do things by himself even tho, sometimes, it is useful to have a teammate. He's gonna learn why. Kinda romantic but... more like of a first spark, read it however you want ;3


"I can do it myself!"

Atlas grumbled again as he landed at the entrance of Fortuna. The datas he was supposed to recover had all been destroyed due to his lack of discretion and the perpetual activation of enemy alarms. Atlas was a go-getter, not a shadow! He was simply doing things his way. He had indeed failed a mission, but did that mean he had to be punished? Because he did took this new Lotus directive as such.  
The mission he was assigned today was much different from previous and it did not please the colossus at all. He has been sent to find another Tenno to help him in his next quests, to ensure their smooth running. Lotus wanted him to team up with someone more discreet and agile. His pride was hurt, that's for sure, so was his mood.  
Atlas was tall and strong. His enemies feared him and his rock fists. According to him, he did not need a teammate and specially didn't need any help. It was enough for him to just train a bit more and learn how to properly hack the enemy devices. However, he could not challenge Lotus's orders and, despite his will, was now sinking in the streets of Fortuna.

The Tenno was crossing the city, taking advantage of his size in hopes of finding the one he was looking for among the Solaris. A certain Nezha, short and thin, wearing a big ring on his back and ribbons on his head. Between the pillars of the city, there were merchants of all kinds, some buyers, busy workers but no warframe corresponding to the description given by the guide. He resigned himself to asking passersby. All assured him of seeing one of his kind, but none could tell him where he was except for a child who glanced furtively at the door of the elevator leading to Orb Vallis. Atlas thanked him with a nod and headed for the indicated direction.  
Fortuna had never been part of his destinations and Orb Vallis even less. He had no idea what to expect when the elevator doors opened for him. The descent took a while, during which he grumbled more, irritated by this game of hide-and-seek that was wasting his time.

The elevator opened, leaving a beautiful and icy scenery. A frozen, wild-looking tundra extended far to the foot of towering mountains which were covered in pristine snow. He, who was of stone and rock himself, felt almost at ease in the middle of this vast landscape made of arrogant peaks. He felt invited despite the cold that bit him even through his warframe. This did not dissuade him from advancing in this winter picture. The whistling of the wind accompanied the crackling of the compacted flakes under his feet, which was the only sound in an otherwise absolute silence. This environment calmed his annoyance little by little although he kept his embarrassing goal in mind.

After a few steps in the snow, Atlas saw a movement between two gigantic luminescent mushrooms. The flora of Venus was strange to say the least he had to admit, but he did not let the fascination distract him. He froze, slowly moving his hand to the butt of his shotgun and waited for a new sign. Something had definitely moved in the vegetation.

Still not familiar enough with the environment, the colossus approached cautiously and was ready to fire in case of attack, but when he reached the shade of the hats of the fungi forest he found nothing. Neither enemy nor warframe. He sighed in frustration and turned to retrace his steps. It was then that something jumped on him with a shriek and wounded him on the arm. Atlas sent his aggressor a punch and realized that it was just a kind of little tick-like green insect. But the swift creature charged again and bit him a second time, then a third, avoiding the Tenno's desperate attempts to catch him. However, at the fourth bite, the stranger finally managed to catch the little beast and smashed it violently with a cry of rage against the foot of one of the mushrooms. The assailant exploded with the hit.

Atlas took a deep breath to calm himself, but he felt dizzy. He let himself slide against a rock and examined his wounds. There was no doubt he had been poisoned. He growled, annoyed more than ever. The elevator door was far away, and he did not know the nature of the venom. Two options were available to him depending on the kind of poison that was gnawing on him: try to return to Fortuna and get treatment, or die there under this giant mushroom. He stood up staggering, knowing he had to survive and to do that he had to try to return to town and seek help, no matter how lethal the toxin was. Though, he collapsed in the snow two steps away.

He snarled, tortured by the poison of an unfortunate insect. The rock warframe tried to rise and even to crawl, but every movement burned his body. Atlas was going to abandon himself there when he heard footsteps running towards him. Fearing that an enemy would be pleased to finish him off, he rolled to one side and pointed his gun at the newcomer who froze.

"I came to help you, Atlas."

The sun behind the unknown masked his identity within the light but when he knelt down and leaned over him, the colossus felt ribbons slip on his armor. He finally guessed Nezha's helmet and lowered his weapon with a sigh. He would never have wanted to admit it, but he was relieved to see him. He let him examine his body without a word. His savior's hands were smaller and thinner than his. His touch was soothing and strangely warm. He handled him delicately as if afraid to hurt him. Then his fingers stopped their caresses to lean in the cold snow, allowing the little Tenno to lean towards the rock head.

"You were attacked by a mite raknoid. These little beasts are vicious you could have been killed! You should have waited inside. But do not worry, I'll fix you! " assured the other warframe, ignoring the growl he got in return. He stood up and held out his hand over Atlas's chest. A green fog enveloped the dying man, relieving his pain, closing his wounds and annihilating the poison. He then offered to help him get up but the giant did nothing. He stood up alone, feeling his strength and energy coming back to him. When he turned to Nezha he realized he was indeed much thinner and maybe half a head shorter than him. He was swaying merrily, lightly, happy to have found his fellow traveler. He was releasing a strange wave of warmth and joy.  
But the acrimonious feelings of Atlas were still present. He ignored the benevolence of his new partner and then approached him, leaving between them only a provoking reduced space. He dominated him with his full height and, leaning his head very slightly to look down at him, told him with a grave and threatening voice:

"Thanks for this time, but tell yourself that this is the last. Lotus hath stuck you to my skirts because of a small mistake on my part. But know that I don't need you. Follow but don't get in my way. Understood? "

Nezha froze for a moment, not daring to look up at him. Then he took a step back and bowed deeply. Atlas stared at him for a moment and felt a bit guilty of having cut off his perky mood. He was now calm and silent, obediently waiting for his orders. The colossus nodded, then turned to Fortuna and headed back. Followed by his teammate, the wind and the snow as their only hymn to their march.


End file.
